Ukraine: UNESCO-listed Cathedral of the Dormition ablaze. Moscow denies involvement

The Kyiv-Pechersk Lavra monastery in Ukraine, founded in 1050, suffered severe damage as a result of the attack. Twenty people were injured, according to local authorities. The mayor of the capital added that the attack damaged power lines and left 140,000 residents of the capital without power.

The attacks came as the war between Russia and Ukraine, which began in February 2022, continues with no sign of abating, and negotiations to bring it to an end have been deadlocked for months.

“We ask for prayers to save this sanctuary from destruction,” said – according to AFP – Metropolitan Epiphanius of Kyiv, Primate of the Orthodox Church of Ukraine, denouncing a “crime against humanity, history and Christianity”. One side of the cathedral has been gutted, the roof has been partially destroyed and more than a dozen fire engines have been deployed to the scene, an AFP photographer reported.

Words of solidarity from European leaders were not long in coming. British Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper described it as ‘an abhorrent act by Putin: a deliberate desecration in his increasingly desperate assault on Ukraine’, whilst European Commission President Ursula Von der Leyen — condemning the incident — noted that G7 leaders are meeting in Evian today. “We will discuss the next steps to increase pressure on Russia, bring Putin to the negotiating table and put an end to this senseless slaughter,” she assured.

This position is shared by France, which is hosting the meeting. “Just as nothing justifies the war of aggression waged by Russia against Ukraine for over four years, nothing justifies this attack on our universal heritage. France stands ready to cooperate with the Ukrainian authorities responsible for heritage. This attack only strengthens our resolve to do everything, together with our allies and partners, to work towards a ceasefire – which Russia continues to stubbornly refuse – and then towards peace. We will work on this at the G7 summit in Evian,” wrote French President Emmanuel Macron on X.

Russia has denied targeting the historic Pechersk Lavra monastery in Kyiv during a night-time bombardment of the Ukrainian capital, claiming that the UNESCO-protected site was instead struck by a US-made Patriot air defence missile. ‘According to confirmed reports, the Kiev Pechersk Lavra complex was struck by a missile from the American Patriot air defence missile system . One of the reasons for the system’s malfunction may have been that Western countries supplied the Kiev regime with ‘expired’ missiles,” the Russian Ministry of Defence stated in a press release.

The Ukrainian Security Service has stated that the Pechersk Lavra monastery and Kyiv were struck by a Geran-2 drone, the Russian version of the Iranian Shahed kamikaze drone. This is reported by Unian. Kiev – it is explained – reached this conclusion based on an analysis of the drone’s remains found at the crash site.

At least three people have died in a Ukrainian drone attack on the Russian city of Tula, around 200 km south of Moscow: this was announced last night by the regional governor, Dmitry Milayev. “A residential area of the city of Tula has been targeted by a drone attack,” Milayev wrote on Telegram. “According to initial reports, three people have died and three others, including a one-year-old child, have been injured,” he added.

Russia’s air defence system has shot down 123 drones flying over regions of the country. This was reported by the Ministry of Defence. ‘Last night, air defence warning systems intercepted and destroyed 123 Ukrainian fixed-wing drones flying over the regions of Belgorod, Bryansk, Kaluga, Kursk, Oryol, Rostov, Ryazan, Smolensk, Tver and Tula, the Moscow region, the Republic of Crimea, the Krasnodar Territory and the waters of the Sea of Azov and the Black Sea,” reads the ministry’s statement on Telegram.